Apparatus for swaging gem mounts

ABSTRACT

A device for securing a precious stone in a clawed setting which is carried in a recess in a support having a vertical centering rod which can be moved vertically. The device also comprises above a support a die which has a setting dome in its bottom end which dome has a bore in which is mounted a spring loaded centre point for engaging and holding the jewel in the clawed setting while the die moves down to press the claws around the jewel to secure it in the setting.

United States Patent 1191 Favre [76] Inventor:

[ APPARATUS FOR SWAGING GEM MOUNTS Henri Victor Favre, 44 rue du College, -39-Saint Claude, France [22] Filed: Feb. 8, 1972 [21] App]. No.: 224,474

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 854,641, Sept. 2, 1969, abandoned, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 631,978, April I9, 1967, abandoned.

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Apr. 28, 1966 France 66.59538 on. 4, 1966 France 66.78730 [52] U.S. Cl. 29/10 [51] Int. Cl 823p 5/00 [58] Field of Search 29/10 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 562,292 6/1896 Field 29/10 1,442,986 1/1923 Toy 29/l0 X 1,908,824 5/l933 Devendor et al. 29/10 X 2,533,870 l2/l95 0 Bayer 29/l0 X 3,483,603 l2/l969 Briskin 29/l0 Primary ExaminerAndrew R. Juhasz Assistant Examiner-Leon Gilden Attorney, Agent, or FirmRobert E. Burns; Emmanuel J. Lobato; Bruce L. Adams ABSTRACT A device for securing a precious stone in a clawed setting which is carried in a recess in a support having a vertical centering rod which can be moved vertically. The device also comprises above a support a die which has a setting dome in itsbottom end which dome has a bore in which is mounted a spring loaded centre point for engaging and holding the jewel in the clawed setting while the die moves down to press the claws around the jewel to secure it in the setting.

2 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures APPARATUS FOR SWAGING GEM MOUNTS CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending US. Application Ser. No. 854,641, now abandoned filed Sept. 2, 1969 and entitled APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a device for securing a precious stone in a setting.

Devices for setting precious stones in settings provided with claws are already known, which devices comprise essentially a stationary support in which the setting is held, and a die movable in thedirection of the support, and having a hollow working surface coming into contact with the claws of the setting so as to bend them back on the stone.

These known devices are not entirely satisfactory since generally they do not make it possible to obtain a precise positioning of the stone and correct positioning cannot be maintained during the securing operatlon.

Consequently, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a device which facilitates an exact and automatic positioning of the stone in the setting.

Another object of the invention is to allow an easy ejection of the setting with its stone from its support.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is an axial and vertical section of a device for securing a precious stone in a setting according to the invention, the moving parts being shown in the position which they occupy before the beginning of the securing operation proper; and,

FIG. 2 is a partial vertical section of the moving parts-- and of the setting at the end of the'securing operation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The securing or setting device according to the invention comprises a lower, stationary support 1, in the upper surface of which there is provided a recess 2, terminated by a frusto-conical bearing surface 3 against which abuts a setting 4 in which is to be set a precious stone 5 disposed within this setting. The setting 4 may have any appropriate shape, depending on the desired aesthetic effect, but in its upper part it has several coaxial claws 6 defining between them a cavity in which a precious stone 5 is located for setting in the setting.

There is mounted inthe housing 2 adjusting means for adjusting the seating of the stone in the setting. The adjusting means comprises a vertical centering rod 7 engaging in an axial bore of the setting 4 for centering the stone 5 and connected at its lower end to a lever 8 mounted to pivot about a horizontal shaft 9. This lever 8 projects laterally from the support 1 so as to facilitate its operation.

Above the stationary support'l there is located a frame 10 of the device in which a setting pistonll is mounted to slide vertically. This piston is normally pushed upwards by a retraction spring 12 bearing against the upper face of the frame 10 and under a flange 13 provided at the upper part of the piston 11. During the setting operation proper, the setting piston 11 is pushed downwards by an operating member 14, which may be, for example, the end of a manually controlled lever. I

There is provided in the setting piston '11 a housing 15 open at its lower end and in which is housed a die 16. This die at its lower end is formed with a hollow working surface 18 of frusto-conical or hemi-spherical shape forming, for example, an inverted basin or a dome. 1

Moreover, an axial bore 19 is provided in the die 16 and this bore opens into the lower basin 18. In this axial bore 19 there is slidably mounted a centre-point 20 pushed downwards by a' spring 21 located between the blind end of the bore 19 and the upper face of the centre-point 20.

The operation of the setting device according to the invention is as follows:

The setting 4 is placed by hand in the housing 2 and on the bearing surface 3 of the lower support 1, its claws being directed upwards. Then the precious stone 5 is placed in the setting 4 by hand, the point of the stone being directed downwards. All these operations are carried out with the assistance of magnifying glasses and with the aid of tweezers or similar. The stone 5 is positioned in the setting 4 with the aid of the centering rod 7 which is raised slightly, if necessary by pressing on the outer end of the lever 8. Once the stone 5 is approximately in position in the setting 4, the setting piston 11 is loweredby means of the lever 14. When the setting piston 11 descends, the positioning centre-point 20 firstly comes into contact with the upper surface of the stone 5 before the basin or dome 18 comes in contact with the ends of the claws 6. At this instant, the centre-point 20 rests on the stone 5 and automatically adjusts it to an upright position, i.e., the flat surface of the stone is rendered horizontal and is so maintained.

As the piston continues to descend, the basin or dome 18 of the die 16 comes into contact with the ends of the claws 6 and bends them inwards to engage the stone 5 thus ensuring the setting of the stone in the set re-assumes its initial position by means of its retraction spring 12.

The setting device according to the invention thus allows an exact and automatic positioning of the stone, during the setting operation, by means of the centrepoint 20, and moreover, the centering device 7 makes it possible to re-position a stone or to eject it by an operator moving the lever 8.

What is claimed is:

l. A device for securing a precious stone or the like in a setting having a body including claws surrounding a central recess in which the stone is to be housed, the device comprising a frame, a die mounted to slide vertically in said frame, and having its lower end recessed to define a setting basin having surfaces for bending claws of a setting about a precious stone in the setting, means for effecting vertical movement of the die, said die having an axial bore opening into the setting basin, a positioning center-point mounted to slide axially in said axial bore of the die, a spring housed in the axial bore of the die and acting to urge the positioning center-point into an extreme lower position in which its lower end normally projects into the setting basin, a lower support located under the frame, said support having an upper recess located coaxially with the die basin and in which said setting is-placed with its claws extending upwards, said center-point having a lower planar surface dimensioned transversely relative to the recess and disposed to engage the stone to position the surface of the stone contacted parallel to said lower planar surface before said basin engages said claws of said setting and'berids them about said stone, a vertical centering rod movableaxially in'said support disposed coaxially with the recess and disposed below the frame and having a free end portion contacting the stone during use, and means for selectively effecting vertical movement of the centering rod to adjust the seating of the stone within the setting independently of the movement of said die before said center point engages said stone.

2. A device according to claim 1, in which said means for selectively effecting vertical movement of said centering rod comprises manual means. 

1. A device for securing a precious stone or the like in a setting having a body including claws surrounding a central recess in which the stone is to be housed, the device comprising a frame, a die mounted to slide vertically in said frame, and having its lower end recessed to define a setting basin having surfaces for bending claws of a setting about a precious stone in the setting, means for effecting vertical movement of the die, said die having an axial bore opening into the setting basin, a positioning center-point mounted to slide axially in said axial bore of the die, a spring housed in the axial bore of the die and acting to urge the positioning center-point into an extreme lower position in which its lower end normally projects into the setting basin, a lower support located under the frame, said support having an upper recess located coaxially with the die basin and in which said setting is placed with its claws extending upwards, said center-point having a lower planar surface dimensioned transversely relative to the recess and disposed to engage the stone to position the surface of the stone contacted parallel to said lower planar surface before said basin engages said claws of said setting and bends them about said stone, a vertical centering rod movable axially in said support disposed coaxially with the recess and disposed below the frame and having a free end portion contacting the stone during use, and means for selectively effecting vertical movement of the centering rod to adjust the seating of the stone within the setting independently of the movement of said die before said center point engages said stone.
 2. A device according to claim 1, in which said means for selectively effecting vertical movement of said centering rod comprises manual means. 